Inaugural District 58 Reading Games a 'huge success'

Superintendent Dr. Kari Cremascoli gives a high-five to a member of the top-scoring team, the Highland School Whangdoodles, as they make their way up to the front to get their ribbons and prizes.

By SUBURBAN LIFE MEDIA

DOWNERS GROVE – About 500 third- through eighth-grade District 58 students participated in the premiere Reading Games March 15 at Herrick Middle School, a District-wide reading competition with team spirit-wear, tributes and prizes, according to a press release.

More than 70 teams of students from across the district registered to participate in the Reading Games. They collaborated to read 20 books from one of two book lists – level one and level two. During the competition on March 15 at Herrick Middle School, teams answered questions that the Reading Games Committee wrote about the books, according to a press release.

"The Reading Games were primarily a celebration of reading rather than a contest," said Whittier reading specialist Christy Gergits in the press release. She co-chaired the Reading Games along with Whittier sixth-grade teacher Debbie Krygeris. "The goal of the Reading Games was to increase the quality and quantity of books District 58 students read for enjoyment."

Students cheered as teams were awarded ribbons March 15 based on the number of questions they correctly answered about the books. Teams could earn either a blue, red or white ribbon, and every participating team ended up earning enough points to take home a red or blue ribbon.

In addition, a randomly selected "Tribute" from each team got to choose a prize, many of which were generously donated by Downers Grove businesses. Prize donors included Lemon Tree, Tivoli Theatre and Tivoli Bowl, Fair Game and Every Day's a Sundae.

"Our hope was that the Reading Games would generate a lot of excitement about reading and collaborating together, and would be a rewarding experience for all students and adults involved," Krygeris said in the release.